Here’s a confession that hopefully doesn’t alienate me too much from you serious cattlemen and women out there, precluding me from ever being taken seriously again in the cattle industry: Whenever I get my hands on a sire directory from one of the semen sales companies, I flip straight to the club calf section. I just love ’em. Heads held high, technicolor dreamcoats brazenly flaunted, leg hair teased out until it looks like the discotheque lovechild of Farrah Fawcett and Dr. J … fellers, that gets my blood pumping and imagination racing.
Hey, I understand; these fancy cattle have a reputation for pushing beyond the boundaries of functionality for the sake of curb appeal. (To be clear, this is in no way meant as a condemnation of those in the show cattle business. Many of the most significant breakthroughs in the cattle industry have been made in pursuit of excellence in the ring. You get the point I’m trying to make; please don’t take offense.) I know a big reason behind breeding for all that hair is to mask flaws, and that clubby bulls don’t always throw calves that translate to profitable production on the southern Plains or the slopes of the Rockies or the Gulf Coast.
But in that magic moment when you get your first glimpse, it doesn’t matter. The critter just looks so awesome, and provides such a strong hit of endorphins, it becomes easy to set aside any inclination toward rational analysis. Potential concerns about calving ease, carcass grades, feed efficiency, mobility, fertility, docility – heck, any of the important -ilities – just melt away beneath fever dreams of purple banners and a half-gallon of Zoom Bloom. Because, by George, they look good in the show ring, and they sure as heck impress on the printed page.
A similar impression hit me when I got my first look at the final version of our annual beef stats poster, which you’ll find tucked within the pages of this magazine. Our team has worked tirelessly putting it together, and I’ve gotta say, it looks good. But beyond that, it’s a fountain of information that illustrates much about why and how our industry works. Of course, every number isn’t going to be super-impactful for every ranch, feedlot or packing plant. And, of course, plenty of good information had to be left on the cutting room floor. But take a good look at the poster (as I said, it’s easy on the eyes), and I’m confident you’ll find at least a nugget or two that’ll benefit you in one way or another.
Look, no matter how much data becomes available, we probably shouldn’t expect genotype to fully push phenotype from any cowman’s mind. The savvy ones have mastered the art of walking the line without sacrificing function at the altar of form. Likewise, we at Progressive Cattle hope with every issue that we’re providing American beef producers something that looks and feels good, but more importantly contributes information that proves truly valuable on their operations.
With a healthy dose of tail adhesive, that ought to be manageable, even for the likes of us.
